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Spikes - fertility, joy and hope and offerings to Saint Isidro Labrador, patron of Madrid and the goddess CybeleIsabelline roses - love and passionIris and lilies - for the Bourbons Apple blossoms - In honour of the principality of Asturias and Our Lady of AtochaOrange blossoms - Tribute to the Countess of Barcelona (JC's mother) and María de las Mercedes de Orleáns y Borbón, first wife of Alfonso XII

Kate's:Lily-of-the-valley – Return of happinessSweet William – GallantryHyacinth – Constancy of loveIvy: Fidelity; marriage; wedded love; friendship; affectionMyrtle: the emblem of marriage; love. (stems from a myrtle planted at Osborne House, Isle of Wight, by Queen Victoria in 1845, and a sprig from a plant grown from the myrtle used in The Queen’s wedding bouquet of 1947)

Mary's bouquet looks like it's the victim of multiple personalities. The bulk of the bouquet is structured, tight, and modern then it has the vines trailing off of it which would fit better with a wild, natural, hippy or boho style bride. Nothing will ever be as ugly as MM's though. She was absolute bridal perfection until she decided to fishing for seaweed on her way to the church.

The Best ManIn ancient times, men sometimes captured women to make them their brides. A man would take along his strongest and most trusted friend to help him fight resistance from the woman's family. This friend, therefore, was considered the best man among his friends. In Anglo-Saxon England, the best man accompanied the groom up the aisle to help defend the bride.

Bride on Groom's LeftBecause grooms in Anglo-Saxon England often had to defend their brides, the bride would stand to the left of her groom so that his sword arm was free.

Giving Away the BrideThe tradition of the father giving away his daughter has its roots in the days of arranged marriages. Daughters in those times were considered their father's property. It was the father's right to give his child to the groom, usually for a price. Today a father giving away his daughter is a symbol of his blessing of the marriage

Something Old, Something New, Something Borrowed, Something Blue, and a Sixpence in Your Shoe"Something old" represents the bride's link to her family and the past. The bride may choose to wear a piece of family jewelry or her mother or grandmother's wedding gown. "Something new" represents hope for good fortune and success in the future. The bride often chooses the wedding gown to represent the new item. "Something borrowed" usually comes from a happily married woman and is thought to lend some of her good fortune and joy to the new bride. "Something blue" is a symbol of love, fidelity, and purity of the bride. A sixpence in her shoe is to wish the bride wealth in her future life.

The Bridal VeilThe bridal veil has long been a symbol of youth, modesty, and virginity and was used to ward off evil.

BridesmaidsThe bridal party is a tradition that has been established for many centuries. For a long time the purpose of the bridal party was to fool evil spirits. The bride's friends dressed similarly to her in order to confuse any virulent presences that might be lurking about. Today bridesmaids are there to support the bride in the stressful times during the wedding.

Wedding BouquetFlowers are incorporated into the wedding ceremony as a symbol of fertility. The first bouquets consisted of herbs and, later, orange blossoms.

Tossing the BouquetTossing the bouquet is a tradition that stems from England. Women used to try to rip pieces of the bride's dress and flowers in order to obtain some of her good luck. To escape from the crowd the bride would toss her bouquet and run away. Today the bouquet is tossed to single women with the belief that whoever catches it will be the next to marry.

The Tiered Wedding CakeThe origin of the tiered wedding cake also lies in Anglo-Saxon times. Guests would bring small cakes to the wedding and stack them on top of each other. Later, a clever French baker created a cake in the shape of the small cakes and covered it in frosting. It is now known as the tiered cake.

The Wedding RingThe wedding ring has been worn on the third finger of the left hand since Roman times. The Romans believed that the vein in that finger runs directly to the heart. The wedding ring is a never-ending circle, which symbolizes everlasting love.